Google's Project Fi Adds Support for Data-Only Devices

By
Don ReisingerDec. 17, 2015, 1:28 a.m.

Google's Project Fi now supports data-only devices, including tablets, the company announced on Tuesday.

Project Fi customers can now request a data-only SIM, which they can pop into a compatible device, including Apple's iPad mini 4 and iPad Air 2, and get connectivity. As with the program's phone plans, customers are charged $10 per gigabyte of data, and will only pay for what they use each month.

By adding data-only support, Google is dramatically expanding the number of products Project Fi can support. When it debuted in April, the service was only available on the Nexus 6; it has since expanded to the Nexus 6P and Nexus 5X smartphones.

"These devices are the first smartphones that supports our network of networks. They work with the Project Fi SIM card, which supports multiple cellular networks, and a state-of-the-art cellular radio tuned to work across network types," Google says on its Fi FAQ page.

Now, with help from the data-only integration, tablet owners and those with other connected devices with SIM slots, can get in on the program.

"As the number and variety of connected devices continues to grow, so should the number of wireless options," Laura Holmes, senior product manager for Project Fi, said in a statement. "We'll continue to experiment with creative ways to make accessing wireless from your connected device as easy as connecting with your phone."

Project Fi is currently available by invite only. Customers can sign up for the Early Access Program and once invited, get access to the SIM.

Project Fi essentially turned Google into a wireless carrier. Rather than build its own network, though, Google relies on Wi-Fi hotspots and cellular service from T-Mobile and Sprint for connectivity. Your phone will connect to the strongest signal in a given area, and move between then seamlessly. You can shut off Wi-Fi like any other phone, but Google recommends you keep it on.